Former Sunderland AFC chairman Sir Bob Murray gives this view on expanding the Stadium of Light to 63,000
“I believe the club is of such a stature and the support is awesome”
Former Sunderland AFC chairman Sir Bob Murray, the man behind the building of the Stadium of Light, has been speaking to the Echo about whether the Black Cats should look to expand their stadium.
Sir Bob was chairman of the club between 1986 and 2006, and oversaw the club’s move from Roker Park into the Stadium of Light which was built on the former Wearmouth Colliery site.
When the stadium was built and opened in 1997 it had a capacity of 42,000. In 2000, under Sir Bob’s stewardship, the stadium capacity was increased to 49,000 when a third tier was added to the North Stand, adding to the three tiers on the West Stand, which is now named after club legend and former goalkeeper Jimmy Montgomery.
When Sir Bob was the driving force behind the building of the stadium, he did so with always having the ambition and planning scope that one day the tiers could be extended to include three tiers on all sides of the ground, which would take the capacity to 63,000.
Following the Black Cats Premier League 7th placed finish and qualification for European competition for the first time in 53 years, season tickets quickly sold out for the current season.
Whilst the talk of a ‘15,000’ waiting list has been tempered recently with the club struggling towards the bottom of the league, Sir Bob is still hopeful the capacity will be on day be expanded, although he feels the club needs to first cement its place in the Premier League.
He said: “The stadium was built for European football and to see the first Europa League game was a massive moment in my life.
“I built the stadium with the potential to go again and expand to 63,000 as I believe the club is of such a stature and the support is awesome.
“However, the priority at the moment is to stay in the Premier League and become an established Premier League club, and then we can begin to discuss expanding the stadium.”
In August 2025, Sir Bob spoke out against the city council about the then proposed Sheepfold plans which he said would have blocked space to expand the stadium.
With the club having already submitted a pre-application notification for re-development and extension of the South Stand, the club submitted a formal objection, and in April (2026) the council confirmed the plans had been revised with fewer proposed houses and a larger buffer zone around the stadium, enabling any potential expansion.
Sir Bob said: “I’m pleased Kyril Louis-Dreyfus has manged to protect this legacy and the possibility of expanding the stadium.”
Sir Bob was speaking to the Echo ahead of the launch of his updated autobiography, ‘I’d do it all Again’, which is raising vital funds for the Foundation of Light.